ASEAN Golf Tour International Championship: Hussein & Dumandan share halfway ASEAN lead

Malaysia’s Mohd Shaaban Hussein and Filipino Marvin Dumandan took a share of the lead on the second day of the US$50,000 International Championship presented by Telkomsel – the opening event on the new ASEAN Golf Tour.

Hussein carded a best of the day three-under-par 69 while Dumandan fired a 73 at Imperial Klub Golf near Jakarta to lie one under for the tournament.

One stroke further back are Malaysia’s Danny Chia and Thailand’s Wittawat Sae-ung.

Overnight leader Lim Eng Seng from Malaysia got off to the worst possible start by carding a quadruple bogey eight on his opening hole and finished the day well down the leader board.

On a testing day that saw a stiff breeze sweep the course and players stretched to the maximum by slick greens, Hussien handled the conditions with consummate ease.

He made four birdies, all from inside 12 feet, and dropped one shot.

“Everybody wants to play well here. It is important but I am not going to put too much pressure on myself. I am just going to stay relaxed and keep doing the same thing. Focus on each shot and the good scores will keep coming,” said Hussien, who finished joint 42nd in last week’s Brunei Open on the Asian Tour.

Dumandan kept his nerve to lead a tournament for the first time in his short professional career.

The 27 year old from Davao turned professional in February of this year and this is only his fourth event as a member of the paid ranks.

“I took 22 putts in the first round but 30 today. The greens are fast and undulating so it was hard going,” said Dumandan.

The Filipino played amateur golf for his country in the Asian Games, Southeast Asia Games and the World Amateur Team Championship so is not short of experience playing under pressure.

He made one birdie and two bogeys.

“I’ll just stick to my game plan over the next two days and stay patient. I’d really love to win,” he added.

Chia had a mixed day making five birdies but he tripled bogeyed the par five 18th – where he found water twice with his second shot – and doubled the par five ninth. He finished with a 74.

“I am still in the hunt but those two par fives cost me a lot. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again,” said Chia.

Veteran Singaporean golfer Poh Eng Wah rolled back the years shooting a 71 to lie just four strokes behind the leader.

The 45 year old comes from a famous golfing family in the Lion City - he has five brothers and one sister who are all teaching professionals.

“It feels great to be playing out here again and to see all these guys competing. The ASEAN Golf Tour is really welcomed by so many players, I hope there will be many more tournaments like this,” said Poh.

Leading Second Round Scores (par 72):

143 - Marvin Dumandan (PHI) 70-73, Mohd Shaaban Hussein (MAS) 74-69
145 – Danny Chia (MAS) 71-74, Wittawat Sae-ung (THA) 72-73
146 – Pijit Petchkasem (THA) 73-73
147 – Poh Eng Wah (SIN) 76-71
148 – Angelo Que (PHI) 76-72, Carito Villaroman (PHI) 72-76, Borworn Chaisri (INA) 76-72, Suprato (INA) (a) 78-70,

Selected:

150 – S. Sivachandran (MAS) 71-79
151 – P. Gunasegaran (MAS) 74-77, Vuttipong Puangkeaw (THA) 73-78
154 – Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 77-77
155 - Lim Eng Seng (MAS) 69-86

September 5, 2007

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